Texans offensive tackle Chester Pitts is carted off the field after suffering a knee injury during the second quarter.

Texans offensive tackle Chester Pitts is carted off the field after suffering a knee injury during the second quarter.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Chronicle

Pitts injures knee, will miss first start in Texans history

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Veteran vows return

“I’ll be back,” Pitts said. “I’m not going to get a desk job. I want to play some more football. Did you see this game? Did you see all the twists and turns?”

The Texans put up 420 yards, including 357 passing by Schaub. He threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions. He wasn’t sacked.

Andre Johnson had 10 catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He could have had more but dropped two passes.

In his last two games against the Titans, both victories, Johnson has 21 catches for 356 yards and three TDs.

“We started kind of slow, but once we got into a rhythm, everything started working for us,” Johnson said. “The passes I dropped were balls I should have caught. I made harder catches later in the game.”

Like a one-handed, 19-yard touchdown catch. The other came on a 72-yard bomb in which he blew past free safety Michael Griffin.

Johnson seems to get riled up against the Titans because he and cornerback Cortland Finnegan have physical games. They got into a sideline fight but weren’t penalized. Johnson screamed at Finnegan more than once.

“We play them twice a year, so we pretty much know what they’re going to give us,” Johnson said. “When they do things, we try to adjust to it. We started slow and made some adjustments that worked.”

Under the circumstances, this game might have been the best of Schaub’s career.

“Making plays is what it’s about,” Schaub said. “That was a very good defense we faced. They’re relentless getting to the quarterback, but guys were getting open.”

And Schaub was completing passes.

Something to build on

“Hopefully, this will turn it (offense) on, and we can move forward,” said tight end Owen Daniels, who caught a 1-yard touchdown pass. “We’re capable of doing this every week. That’s the kind of talent we have.”